Day 1 : Marine Ecosystems- Students will start the lesson with a brainstorming session focusing on their previous of knowledge of ecosystems in general. The brainstorming list will be narrowed down into a few key characteristics of that can be used to describe ecosystems. Students will then be assigned a marine ecosystem that they will be responsible for describing using the key characteristics developed in the beginning of class. Working in groups, students will make a small poster in class detailing their ecosystems. The posters will be used to teach the class about their assigned ecosystem, during the "eco-speed teaching" activity. Posters to be finished for homework.
Day 2 : Marine Taxonomy- Finish up "eco-speed teaching" from Day 1 Student will view a powerpoint (slides 1-7, 15-19) about the major Marine taxonomic classifications, while filling in a graphic organizer. Students will then be assigned a marine organism, given an information sheet, with information necessary to classify that animal properly. Students will be asked to classify the animal and provide an explanation according to the information provided, as well as the powerpoint. Students will share their results and explanations with the class. Students will receive the information sheets and classifications of the all the animals in booklet form (provided by teacher). These will be some of the more important organisms throughout the marine bio unit, and students can use these sheets as future reference. Students will next be assigned an invertebrate animal (either an invasive specie, or a specie commonly found in the hydrothermal vent community) which they will be responsible for researching and designing their website about. The Invert Website project will be further explained. Students will also be given a sheet listing the key taxonomic terms and characteristics from the day's lecture/activities, to be used later for a refresher game/"quiz". *If time permits students can work on the class set of laptops to begin their research, they will have more class time to work on these major projects*
Day 3 : Plankton- Students will start their studies of Marine life with the tiniest, yet, essential organisms in most Marine food webs...Plankton. Students will view a powerpoint detailing the diversity of plankton, and will also be required to fill in a graphic organizer. Students will then do a Plankton lab, which will be set up into stations. At each station students will have the opportunity to examine a Plankton slide, or live sample, and answer some specific questions about each. For homework students will use the plankton adaptations and specializations to design their own plankton specie. Students will also be reminded to look over the taxonomic terms list they were given last class, the refresher is planned for Day 4.
Day 4 : Invertebrates- *Students given the opportunity to share their "Plankton Specie" from the homework* Students will begin the day by reviewing the taxonomy terms covered in Day 2. The refresher will be in the form of the "Flyswatter Game."Invertebrates are the next level up on the marine food web. Students will be introduced to several phyla of invertebrates by first preforming an investigation with live animals. Students will be asked to describe the organisms' characteristics which they believe helps scientists to classify them into specific phyla. Students will share their results with the class, thereby detailing several phyla of invertebrates and their defining characteristics. The classifications will be summed up using the remainder of the powerpoint from Day 2 Slides 8-14.
Day 5/6 : Invert Dissections- Several different invertebrate animals (squid, sea star, crayfish), all representing different phyla, will be dissected on the same day, by different groups of students. Students will be responsible for finding a list of the invertebrates' essential organs, using a diagram and instructions for the dissection. The different lab groups will then share their organism, by teaching the class where the different organs are located, and their function. Homework will be an introductory reading/activity to Invasive Species. *It is possible that students will be allowed to take pictures of their dissections using a digital camera, and the pics will be uploaded to the wiki or class site for everyone's benefit. A lab practical may be used as an assessment, to model a college level science class that these students will be subjected to in a year or two.*
Day 7 : Invasive Species Intro
Day 8 : Invasive Specie Debate
Day 9 : Hydrothermal Vent Communities
Day 10 : Invert Website Project Work Day
Day11 : Invert Website Presentations- Students will present their finished website to the class. After the presentations they will hold a quick question and answer session for teacher's and classmate's questions that might come up. Students will be graded using a rubric which covers both the website design and presentation. Students were given the rubric when the project was first announced so as they could use it as a guide throughout the project.
Author: Sarah Jakob
Grade Level: Grade 11/12
Course: Oceanography
GSE's Addressed by Unit:
Purpose of Unit
Concept Map
Lesson Sequence
Day 1 : Marine Ecosystems- Students will start the lesson with a brainstorming session focusing on their previous of knowledge of ecosystems in general. The brainstorming list will be narrowed down into a few key characteristics of that can be used to describe ecosystems. Students will then be assigned a marine ecosystem that they will be responsible for describing using the key characteristics developed in the beginning of class. Working in groups, students will make a small poster in class detailing their ecosystems. The posters will be used to teach the class about their assigned ecosystem, during the "eco-speed teaching" activity. Posters to be finished for homework.Day 2 : Marine Taxonomy- Finish up "eco-speed teaching" from Day 1 Student will view a powerpoint (slides 1-7, 15-19) about the major Marine taxonomic classifications, while filling in a graphic organizer. Students will then be assigned a marine organism, given an information sheet, with information necessary to classify that animal properly. Students will be asked to classify the animal and provide an explanation according to the information provided, as well as the powerpoint. Students will share their results and explanations with the class. Students will receive the information sheets and classifications of the all the animals in booklet form (provided by teacher). These will be some of the more important organisms throughout the marine bio unit, and students can use these sheets as future reference. Students will next be assigned an invertebrate animal (either an invasive specie, or a specie commonly found in the hydrothermal vent community) which they will be responsible for researching and designing their website about. The Invert Website project will be further explained. Students will also be given a sheet listing the key taxonomic terms and characteristics from the day's lecture/activities, to be used later for a refresher game/"quiz". *If time permits students can work on the class set of laptops to begin their research, they will have more class time to work on these major projects*
Day 3 : Plankton- Students will start their studies of Marine life with the tiniest, yet, essential organisms in most Marine food webs...Plankton. Students will view a powerpoint detailing the diversity of plankton, and will also be required to fill in a graphic organizer. Students will then do a Plankton lab, which will be set up into stations. At each station students will have the opportunity to examine a Plankton slide, or live sample, and answer some specific questions about each. For homework students will use the plankton adaptations and specializations to design their own plankton specie. Students will also be reminded to look over the taxonomic terms list they were given last class, the refresher is planned for Day 4.
Day 4 : Invertebrates- *Students given the opportunity to share their "Plankton Specie" from the homework* Students will begin the day by reviewing the taxonomy terms covered in Day 2. The refresher will be in the form of the "Flyswatter Game."Invertebrates are the next level up on the marine food web. Students will be introduced to several phyla of invertebrates by first preforming an investigation with live animals. Students will be asked to describe the organisms' characteristics which they believe helps scientists to classify them into specific phyla. Students will share their results with the class, thereby detailing several phyla of invertebrates and their defining characteristics. The classifications will be summed up using the remainder of the powerpoint from Day 2 Slides 8-14.
Day 5/6 : Invert Dissections- Several different invertebrate animals (squid, sea star, crayfish), all representing different phyla, will be dissected on the same day, by different groups of students. Students will be responsible for finding a list of the invertebrates' essential organs, using a diagram and instructions for the dissection. The different lab groups will then share their organism, by teaching the class where the different organs are located, and their function. Homework will be an introductory reading/activity to Invasive Species. *It is possible that students will be allowed to take pictures of their dissections using a digital camera, and the pics will be uploaded to the wiki or class site for everyone's benefit. A lab practical may be used as an assessment, to model a college level science class that these students will be subjected to in a year or two.*
Day 7 : Invasive Species Intro
Day 8 : Invasive Specie Debate
Day 9 : Hydrothermal Vent Communities
Day 10 : Invert Website Project Work Day
Day11 : Invert Website Presentations- Students will present their finished website to the class. After the presentations they will hold a quick question and answer session for teacher's and classmate's questions that might come up. Students will be graded using a rubric which covers both the website design and presentation. Students were given the rubric when the project was first announced so as they could use it as a guide throughout the project.
Day 12 : Hydrothermal Vent/Deep Sea Exploration-
Day 13 : Intro to Marine Mammals
Day 14 : Marine Career Exploration
Assessment Plan
Rationale